My Ongoing Build Thread

[davehead86]

Alright. Well the Acan problem is still being worked on ...

All parameters checked as normal. I am having some Cal, Mag, and Alk test kits shipped here next week so we can check those numbers too.


In other news I have started my rockscape for the 65 gallon. I WOULD LOVE OPINIONS. I know there are a bunch of people who have come through here reading, leave your opinions too.

My wife would like it to be taller (I still don't have egg crate under it though).
She says it doesn't look as full as the current setup. I think its because of the giant cave that I have in the middle. Im wondering if I put in a few rock pieces in there it wouldn't look so empty. Thoughts?

 

[Finis]

I think it looks fine. I bought some dry rock off BRS website and did my first "aquascape". I chiseled a tunnel through the rock.

 

[Finis]

That fruit loop scan is neat looking. I just ordered a salifert mag test kit. I'm looking at different test kits. Using API right now. They seem to work fine for me but apparently they are not the most accurate.

 

[davehead86]

That fruit loop scan is neat looking. I just ordered a salifert mag test kit. I'm looking at different test kits. Using API right now. They seem to work fine for me but apparently they are not the most accurate.

Well the Acan finally started opening up again. I put a PVC ring around it to block flow and took the lights down a little bit and that seems to be helping.

The Nem has started moving around again because of the changes. :lmao:


API is fine, but very hard to read and thats where the inaccuracy comes in. I just got my Salifert kits delivered and am going to test them tonight before I feed the tank.

 

[davehead86]

Just took delivery of the new tanks stand. It is beautiful and looks fantastic. It's built like a tank which is great. It has shelves for storage and organizing cords and cables. I will still need to drill the holes for the tanks durso drains and obviously need to get the basement sump up and running.

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[Finis]

Nice man.

 

[davehead86]

Still going slow this summer. Currently Im working at a summer camp so the majority of my day has been taken up with that and then coming home feeding the monster, I mean 2 year old, and then heading to the pool. :hmm3:

So you can imagine how delighted I was to get some work done on the basement this weekend. :inlove:

First things first. Summer camp pays for aquarium products. First thing on the docket was a full upgrade for the Radions. G3 Pucks, new mounting screws, driver holders, fan covers. Those upgrades go so quickly on that website it's ridiculous. And of course, it was a pain to get the lights re-registered with the Reeflink and operating on the correct schedule.

Now to the basement. I wanted to have a clean look behind my mixing station and sump. I also wanted this to have a spot for shelves to be added when necessary to hold dosers, chemical containers, ato, etc. So I get to drilling into the concrete block. Went through 3 drill bits, and 4 trips to the store. :headwalls: I finally get the backing 1x4's mounted and the wainscoting mounted to the 1x4's. Even got a shelf put up too (others to follow). And some contact paper on the top of the table to prevent any water ruining the MDF. In case of a flood its not really going to do much good but for the purposes of preventing minor spills soaking in it should work well.

 

[davehead86]

Well the Acan finally started opening up again. I put a PVC ring around it to block flow and took the lights down a little bit and that seems to be helping.

The Nem has started moving around again because of the changes. :lmao:


API is fine, but very hard to read and thats where the inaccuracy comes in. I just got my Salifert kits delivered and am going to test them tonight before I feed the tank.

Forgot about this. The acan is gone. Coral Beauty is nibbling it like crazy. That fish has gots to go when the new tank gets put together. Is anyone interested in a cheap Coral Beauty?



Oh and Fred, thanks for the rando text the other night. I laughed my butt off. :lol:

 

[Finis]

Is that an SCA 301 skimmer? I just bought one for a sump i just built. Let me know how well it works when you get yours up. I am working on getting stuff together for my next tank.

 

[davehead86]

Is that an SCA 301 skimmer? I just bought one for a sump i just built. Let me know how well it works when you get yours up. I am working on getting stuff together for my next tank.

It's an sc 302. Essentially the same thing just bigger. The guy I bought it from said it worked great. And when I got it there was a good amount of gunk on it so it was clearly producing skimmate well.


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[davehead86]

So Ive been doing some prep work for the tank on a couple of threads here. One of the questions I had revolved around battery backups and not having to buy an EcoTech Backup since they are stupid expensive. I believe I have found a reasonable and SAFE solution here ...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2586117

I also finally got to upgrading my Radion G2 with the G3 Pucks. As you can see from the attached photos the fan assembly was so dirty and gross. So it got a good scrubbing too. The entire light was disassembled on the kitchen table and cleaned well. The thing is so quiet and now has the best LED's ready to go over the tank.

My Eshopps Master Doser arrives this week and will be loaded and run (it was bought used off ebay).

This is also the last week of summer camp. The pay was amazing but its def time to be done. Ill be happy to lounge around around in July and then get this tank going even faster. :celeb3::beer:

 

[davehead86]

Well I will continue talking to myself in here :spin2::lol:

I have been receiving packages over the last few days from all of the parts I have been ordering for the tank and the sump. It will start moving along quicker now. My dad is coming down this weekend to help me reinforce the floor, move the tank upstairs, and drill the holes in the floor. :beer:
**I had thought about not including the prices but its my thread and now people can understand how much some of this stuff costs even if you are able to find a good deal**

Here is the list so far ...
-$450 (Radion G3 Puck Upgrades / Hanging Supplies / Fan Covers)
-$50 (New 6 Gallon Water Containers, 1- 2 Gallon Spout Container)
- New Live Rock piece included
-$160 (Eshopps Master 4 Dosing Pump)
-$7 Air Vents for Canopy Top (2 side, 1 Top)
-$60 carbon and gfo reactors and parts. (Used BRS Dual Reactor).
-$20 Shelving Units (x2)
-$20 Radion Hanging Supplies (Nite Itze Size 1 S Binder(these things suck and were returned), Eye Hook BOLTS, Washers)
-$9 dc female cables for DIY Battery Backup
-$4 Split Rings for Hanging Radion (Nickel Plated)
-$17 Silicone and Airline Tubing (16 feet)
-$443 M1 Vectra Pump, Hose Adapters, Dosing Tube Holder, Battery Backup Booster


All thats left now is substrate and then the plumbing pieces that I need. Ive got $200 set aside for that and I am hoping it doesnt cost that much so I can buy some other gooides Ive got my eyes on. Like a new PC4 for the ReefKeeper (anyone have one they want to sell me).

 

[davehead86]

My dad came down this weekend and helped out with a few things around the house. We got a playset built for the munchkin. She was exceedingly happy when it was done and just about refused to sleep because of it.

We also got some work done with the fish tank :lol:
The wife wanted the floor joists under and around the tank strengthened. Its not necessary but if it makes her happy then its worth it. So we fit 2x8 lumber and lag bolted it to the existing 2x8 joists. The electrical wiring needs some work around that area but were redoing wires since we are dropping directv and just going with the antenna. So ive got all that to do still.

We started work on the actual stand itself. Drilled holes for the plumbing. We also discovered that the measurements provided by marineland were just a hair off. The tank with the plastic bracing is just about 1/8th inch too wide to fit into the stand. So we had to knock one side off to get some work done. Easily fixed by a deep sanding with some 50 grit. Same thing needs to happen on the canopy. That also still needs a back and a top. Thin back, nice painted piece of plywood for the top.

I have yet to water test this tank and i know i shouldn't worry but I HATE bulkheads. I am so worried the dursos are going to start leaking and that the tank is ruined. It's only been moved twice but i had a tank start leaking once when the bottom silicone got messed up somehow. YIKES. Paranoid!!

The basement area is coming along. Clearly still messy and needing organization but now that the joists are sistered that can take place. Drilling holes in the floor for plumbing can take place after the small tank is moved off to the side for its temp position before everything is transferred into the big tank.

I also included a pic of the old tank, new tank, and a chair to give a size comparison for the new tank. Its a little bigger than we all expected. :lol:

 

[ct_vol]

Just took delivery of the new tanks stand. It is beautiful and looks fantastic. It's built like a tank which is great. It has shelves for storage and organizing cords and cables. I will still need to drill the holes for the tanks durso drains and obviously need to get the basement sump up and running.

Who made your stand? Everything is looking good.

 

[davehead86]

Who made your stand? Everything is looking good.

There is a cabinet maker in Bement that did it up for me. Really high quality work. He did a great job and way over built it. There are some things that I didn't ask for that he did to make it stronger that actually made it better. Like the cabinet being divided which ends up being perfect because it keeps the durso pipes away from the electronics.


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[ct_vol]

PM the info if you don't mind. I have a large tank going in soon I need a stand for!

 

[davehead86]

Clownfish has started sleeping and playing in the anemone. It happened very randomly when I moved a rock the other day. I kind of don't want to move them to the 65 gallon now for fear of it not happening in that tank. Lol

Very dark pic since it's only when moon lights are on


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[davehead86]

Busy weekend so far on the tank.

Holes in the floor drilled for the drain and return.

Outlets run and installed on their own breaker. GFI outlet used.

Leak tested the bulkheads for the drain and return. Initially I thought I had a leak and then realized that it's just an internal leak and will be where water is pumped anyway. So there is no issue.

I also patched all the holes I made in the wall for hanging the lights on the ghetto tank.



I'm also trying to figure out if there is any way that I can cut off the return pump (Vectra M1) if it's on a battery backup. I'm worried about the tank overflowing. Obviously this isn't a huge concern but I'm just wondering. I'd like to keep the M1 on a battery backup since we tend to have brown outs around here and that would be unnecessary to have the pump restart every time or dry itself during that time.




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[lokmar]

Clownfish has started sleeping and playing in the anemone. It happened very randomly when I moved a rock the other day. I kind of don't want to move them to the 65 gallon now for fear of it not happening in that tank. Lol

Very dark pic since it's only when moon lights are on View attachment 354811


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Once those clowns take to a nem, they're addicted. Mine lounge in my RBTA all day long. Only leave it to eat. They get real aggressive toward anything that gets near their nem, especially a hand!

 

[ct_vol]

I'm also trying to figure out if there is any way that I can cut off the return pump (Vectra M1) if it's on a battery backup. I'm worried about the tank overflowing. Obviously this isn't a huge concern but I'm just wondering. I'd like to keep the M1 on a battery backup since we tend to have brown outs around here and that would be unnecessary to have the pump restart every time or dry itself during that time.

Why would the tank overflow with the power out vs on? I'd think it would just continue running as normal.

Separate note: I'd make sure you have surge suppressors on everything. I'm glad I did as I burned a bunch of them out during a brown out a few years back. Still cheaper than replacing my reef equipment.